Warren Sapp questions, criticizes Jadeveon Clowney

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Hall of Famer Warren Sapp questioned and criticized Jadeveon Clowney the same day the star defensive prospect was scheduled to arrive in Houston for a meeting with the Texans.

“My grandfather taught me something a long time ago. He said ‘You will never get more money by doing less work,’” said Sapp, who recorded 96.5 sacks during 13 NFL seasons and is now an NFL Network analyst. “I look at Jadeveon Clowney’s (game) tape and I don’t see a guy that is playing the game with his hair on fire, making plays, running up and down the field sideline to sideline, doing all of the things.”

Sapp continued to knock Clowney and pointed toward a much-discussed quarterback as the Texans’ best option with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft.

“Let’s evaluate this and let’s see what Houston comes up with,” Sapp said. “If it’s my pick, I’m taking Teddy Bridgewater myself, because I believe Teddy Bridgewater is that quarterback to get it done. What does Houston need? A quarterback to get it done.”

Heath Evans, who spent 11 years as an NFL tight end, took Sapp’s side.

“There are just so many little things about this kid that kind of deter you from really getting on his side,” said Evans, also an NFL Network analyst. “The first thing we were told at our Rookie Symposium in 2001 is that this is not a right to play here, to have an opportunity to play for this shield; it’s not something that is given to you. This kid turns down private workouts. He says, ‘I don’t want to get hurt.’ You should be training harder on a day that you’re not at a private workout than how hard they would work you out in a private workout.”

The often-outspoken Sapp continued to question Clowney’s much-critiqued work ethic.

“That’s the real issue with me: What else is he doing not waking up?” Sapp said. “The next job you have is rushing the quarterback, young man, getting ready for the NFL. If you wake up every morning and you’re not ready, prepared to go out and do the things you have to be to be a [defensive] end, outside linebacker – a pass rushing specialist – what else is there?”